When it comes to Buddhism, and meditation in particular, how important do you think it is to learn directly from a teacher face to face?? The reason I ask is, all the books I've read stress the importance on learning from a teacher and they also say that you can't learn from a book. I've only had a few brief encounters with teachers but although the experiences I had were positive I didn't really learn anything more than I had by exploring my own mind and taking guidance from good books. I can see why the teacher/student thing was important in the past to keep the oral tradition going and to insure the teachings stayed pure and alive from generation to generation. I guess I've been thinking about taking my interest in Buddhism to the next level and I've been trying to decide to what extent guidance will help me. Any thoughts?? What have you found most helpful??
While there may be a great number of people who feel you can meditate and practice without the aid of a teacher/guru/lama, there are advantages to having one. When you have questions, there will be someone knowledgeable there to answer them for you, When you seek guidence, there will be someone there for you, If you're not sure that what you are doing is correct or proper, there will be someone there to show you the correct and proper way, When you have doubts, there will be someone there to aussage those doubts, Teachers teach the greatest lesson of all ... patience Can you learn, truly learn, physics on your own? Can you learn chemestry on your own? Can you learn to read or write on your own? When growing up from childhood, could you arrive at the point where you are now on your own without the aid of parents, or teachers? Lama is Buddha ... Guru is Buddha ... Teacher is Buddha ... any mistakes Teacher has, are only manifestations of your own discursive consciousness. We are all Buddha and have Buddha nature. (to quote someone from this forum: We are already enlightened, we just don't know it ...) Darrell
That being said, How many "enlightened" beings are there in the world and how many seeking to know? If you must cross the desert on your own it can be done. The advantage of books is that they can reach a mass market whereas a Teacher reaches a very limited number of people.
Again, that being said, how do you know which direction to go in order to cross the desert? If a book said go this way, and you have no compass, then which way is "this way"? That quote was your's, Meagain! (We are already enlightened, we just don't know it ...) Darrell
I always found it kinda easy, to say people: As far as you can define it, Consider the others as ruling it You are only witnessing fully gifted masters in your everyday day life, Go Join somebody Enjoy
LOL DK! So that's it. Throw away the books and the teachers! Crossing the desert is an inward trip to find you never left so why begin? Anyway you turn you see yourself.
